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5 Changes Carolina Panthers Need To Make For The 2015 Season

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5 Changes Carolina Panthers Need To Make For The 2015 Season

Ron Rivera
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Despite finishing the 2014 season with a losing record, the Carolina Panthers won the NFC South and advanced to the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs. That means the Carolina is both the top team in their division and a team with a lot of room for improvement. To make the necessary improvements, here are five changes the Panthers need to make for the 2015 season.

5. Improve the Secondary

Carolina Panthers Roman Harper
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5. Improve the Secondary

Carolina Panthers Roman Harper
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The Carolina secondary started to get its act together late in the season, but they were abused by opposing quarterbacks for much of 2014. The Panthers need to get younger and better in the defensive backfield if they expect their defense to get back to the level that made them a 12-win team in 2013.

4. Get Young at Running Back

Panthers RBs
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4. Get Young at Running Back

Panthers RBs
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With Cam Newton at quarterback, the Panthers are always going to be a run-heavy team, which means upgrading at running back this year is key. Jonathan Stewart is serviceable, but he can't be a feature back, while DeAngelo Williams looks all but done after an injury-filled season at age 31 in 2014. Carolina needs to bring in a young running back who can handle a lot of carries and complement Newton's running abilities.

3. Part Ways With Greg Hardy

Greg Hardy
Kim Klement - USATODAY Sports

3. Part Ways With Greg Hardy

Greg Hardy
Kim Klement - USATODAY Sports

Considering his off-field issues, it's not worth it for the Panthers to re-sign Hardy. Carolina still has a lot of good pieces along the defensive line, and that group played a big role in the team winning down the stretch and reaching the postseason in 2014. The Panthers will be able to survive without Hardy, who is more trouble than he's worth at this point.

2. Find A No. 2 Receiver

Kelvin Benjamin Carolina Panthers
Bob Donnan - USATODAY Sports

2. Find A No. 2 Receiver

Kelvin Benjamin Carolina Panthers
Bob Donnan - USATODAY Sports

Kelvin Benjamin has a bright future, but the Panthers need to keep building an offensive arsenal around Cam Newton. They can't survive with tight end Greg Olsen being their second-leading receiver, and the likes of Jerricho Cotchery, Philly Brown and Jason Avant won't cut it either. Carolina likely needs to hit the free agent market and find a bona fide no. 2 receiver who can complement Benjamin.

1. Fix the Offensive Line

Kalil
John Geliebter - USA TODAY Sports

1. Fix the Offensive Line

Kalil
John Geliebter - USA TODAY Sports

This was arguably Carolina's worst problem in 2014, and it needs to be sufficiently addressed before the 2015 season. The Panthers need a strong offensive line if they're going to get their running game going next season, and they need to keep Cam Newton protected if he's going to improve as a pocket passer. Fixing those issues requires fixing the offensive line, which needs to be a lot better in 2015.

Bryan Zarpentine is a writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter and like him on Facebook.
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